Steady rest



y 8, 1956 E. A. ARP 2,744,366

STEZADY REST Filed Sept. 18, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet l FIE E Q INVENTOR. EWALD 4. JRP BY wfiM/M May 8, 1956 ARP 2,744,366

STEADY REST Filed Sept. 18, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 /24INV NTOR. Eh 4LD 4. JRP

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lrrokusrs United States Patent STEADY REST Ewald A. Arp, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application September 18, 1952, Serial No. 310,337

6 Claims. (Cl. 51-238) The invention herein has relation to a steady rest useful for many purposes, but devised to be especially useful when employed in connection with machines for grinding cylindrical members such, for example, as shafts, locating bars, etc.

More explicitly stated, the steady rest which the invention presents incorporates a new and improved construction and arrangement, or mechanism, for precluding deflection of a cylindrical member being ground, or otherwise operated upon, by an element exerting a force against the cylindrical member in direction transversely thereof.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a steady rest made according to the invention as when applied to use;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view, taken on line 22 in Fig. 1, showing the steady rest in side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a further enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view of the steady rest with parts broken away;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view, taken as on line 4-4 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view, taken as on line 55 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view, taken as on line 6--6 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view, taken as on line 77 in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is an end elevational view of the steady rest as it would appear from the position of line 88 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view, taken as on line 99 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view, taken as on line 10-16) in Fig. 3;

Fig. 11 is a detail sectional view, taken as on line 11l.1 in Fig. 10; and

Fig. 12 is a view corresponding generally with the disclosure of Fig. 11, but showing parts in different positions.

With respect to the drawings and the numerals of reference thereon, 15 denotes the frame of a grinding machine having thereon spaced, alined pintles, represented 16 and 17, respectively, for rotatably supporting a shaft 18 to be ground, and 19 indicates a grinding wheel for operating upon said shaft. Means, denoted generally at 20, is included for causing the shaft 18 to be forcibly rotated, and means (not shown) also will be included for causing the grinding wheel 19 to be rotated and moved longitudinally along and pressingly engaged against said shaft while the latter is being rotated to cause the shaft to become reduced in diameter. As denoted by the arrows in Fig. 2, both the shaft 18 and the grinding wheel 19 will be rotated in clockwise direction.

The grinding wheel 19 is in the horizontal plane of and at a side of the shaft 18 to exert pressure against and transversely of said shaft in direction toward the new and improved steady rest, represented generally at 21, which itself is stationarily situated at the side of the shaft opposite said grinding wheel, and'b'oth in and below the horizontal plane of said shaft. It is. the function of the steady rest 21 to maintain the shaft 18 straight during progress of the grinding operation against tendency of pressure of the grinding wheel 19 toward causing said shaft to be transversely deflected, of course toward the right and downwardly in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

A base 22 of the steady rest supports a first finger containing unit 23 for sliding adjustment in a horizontal plane toward and away from the shaft 13, and also supports a second finger containing unit 24 for sliding adjustment in a vertical plane toward and away from said shaft. The first and second finger containing units 23 and 24 are very clearly disclosed in Fig. 3.

In the disclosure as made, means for detachably securing the base 22 of the steady rest upon the frame 15 of the grinding machine consists of a first jaw 25 rigid with said base, and a second jaw 26 pivotally supported, at 27, upon the base, very clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Lower surfaces 28 of the base rest upon oblique surfaces of the grinding machine frame, the first jaw 25 is engaged against a generally vertical surface 29 of said frame, and the second jaw 26 is engaged against an undercut surface 30 of the frame. A rod 31, pivotally connected, at 32, to a part of a lever providing the jaw 26 at the side of the pivot 27 opposite said jaw 26, is slidabiy situated in a hole 33 through the base 22 to be forced toward said lever by a locking screw 34 thus to cause the jaw 26 to be engaged against the undercut surface 3%, or to be released by said locking screw 34 thus to cause said jaw 26 to be released from said undercut surface.

The first finger containing unit 23 includes a rectilinear case 35 with reduced lower portion 36, shown in Fig. 2, situated and snugly slidable between spaced vertical walls 37, 37 of the base 22 of the steady rest. Lower surfaces of the rectilinear case 35, at the outer sides of and adjacent to the reduced lower portion 36, slidably rest, as at 38, upon upper edges of the spaced vertical walls 37, 37. Means denoted generally at 39 in Fig. 2 is for urging said spaced vertical walls toward each other thus to be made to snugly engage opposite vertical side surfaces of the reduced lower portion 36 of the rectilinear case 35.

A hollowed out element 40 shown in detail in Figs. 6 and 7, is rigidly secured, in any suitable and convenient manner, as by a cross pin 41, within one end of the rectilinear case 35, and a head 42, secured to the hollowed out element 4% by screw bolts 43, is situated exteriorly of andin alined relation with the rectilinear case.

A socket 44 in an outer surface of the head 42, at the side of said head opposite the rectilinear case 35 and the shaft 18, removably receives a ball 45 upon one end of a screw member 46 having external threads 47 upon an end portion thereof spaced from or opposite said head 42.

The base 22 rigidly supports a subframe, disclosed in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, constituted as horizontal slabs 48, secured to said base by screw bolts 49, and a cross piece 50 rigid with an end of each of said horizontal slabs. The horizontal slabs 48 are at the opposite sides of, parallel with and in the plane of the screw member 46, and the cross piece 50 is in the plane of said screw member and perpendicular thereto. The external threads 47 upon the screw member 46 are engaged in internal threads 51 bounding an opening through the cross piece 50.

A pair of tension coil springs 52, Figs. 1 and 2, each one end thereof secured, as at 53, to the rectilinear case 35 and the other end thereof secured, as at 54, to the base 22, retain the ball 45 upon the screw'member 46 seated in the socket 44 against a surface of the head 42 bounding the bottom of said socket.

The hollowed out element provides a pair of horizontal cylinders 55, Figs, 3, 6 and 7, which are in a single plane, and in parallel relation to each other and extend longitudinally of the rectilinear case 35. A hollow piston in each horizontal cylinder 55. is designated 56, and a rack secured to each hollow piston is indicated 57. Each rack 57 has one end thereof pivotally secured, as at 58, to end of the corresponding hollow piston 56 spaced from or opposite the head 42 Tension coil springs 59, each having one end secured to said head 42, as at 60, and the other end secured to the corresponding hollow piston, as at 61, normally retain the hollow pistons in engaged relation with the head 42. Air under pressure, applied to an interior space 62 of each hollow piston, in a manner to be made plain, is adapted to cause the hollow pistons to be moved away from said head, toward the right in Figs, 3, 6 and 7, against resilient action of the tension coil springs 59.

A horizontal shaft 63, Fig. 3, disposed transversely of the hollowed out element 40 and mounted in side walls thereof, rotatably supports a pair of spaced gears, each denoted 64, situated in a part of said hollowed out element adjacent the horizontal cylinders 55, between said horizontal cylinders and the shaft 18. Teeth of the gears 64 arevertically alined with and engaged by teeth 65 of the rack 57.

The horizontal shaft 63 rotatably supports first and second sets of camming elements, represented 66 and 67, respectively, shown in Figs. 3 and 6, which are transversely spaced from each other. Each of the camming elements 66, 67 is rigid with a gear 64, and the gears are between the camming elements of each set.

A pair of horizontal, transversely spaced actuator plates, denoted 68 and 69, respectively, in Figs. 3 and 6, are mounted upon the rectilinear case 35 for movement longitudinally of said case, toward and away from the shaft 18 in the plane thereof, and each actuator plate is fixed against transverse movement relative to the rectilinear case. An extension 70 upon the end of each actuator plate opposite the shaft 18 is engaged against the perimeter of a corresponding set of camming elements, 66 or 67, as the case may be.

Firstand second, transversely spaced fingers, indicated 71 and 72, respectively, removably secured to the actuator. plates 68 and 69, respectively, as by small screw bolts 73, and slidable in a cover plate 74 secured to the rectilinear case 35, are disposed in longitudinal alinement with said actuator plates and situated in the horizontal plane of the shaft 18 to become engaged therewith. Limit surfaces 75, shown in Fig. 3, upon the rectilinear case 35, adapted to be engaged by stops 76 rigidly secured, as by small screw bolts 77, to the actuator plates,

are for controlling the extent to which said actuator plates are capable of movement away from the first and second sets of carnming elements, toward the shaft 18.

A friction and guideplate 78 above the actuator plates 6 8 and 6 9 and engaged by a vertical clamping screw 79 threaded in a cover 80 of the rectilinear case 35, can be pressed down against said actuator plates, in response to rotation of a knurled head 81 of said clamping screw, should it be desired to fix the actuator plates against longitudinal movement, as, for example, when the fingers 71 and 72 are to be operated upon to the accomplishment of their truing.

A portion of the externally threaded part of the screw member 46 at the exterior side of the cross piece 50, or side of said cross piece opposite the head 42, rotatably supports a circular hand piece 82 including a hub 83 situated upon said. screw member. See Figs. 1 to 4. An annular disc 84 is rotatably mounted upon said hub, and springrnernbers 85. upon the hub are retained against said annular disc byanut 86 upon the hub to hold the nnu r: isc. n; i t on lt gag m t with saidhand piece. Calibrations upon the periphery of the hand piece 82' and the annular disc 84 are denoted 87'. A strip 88 upon the screw member 46, having one of its end portions secured to the hand piece 82, as by a small screw bolt 89, and having a fastening screw 90 in its other end portion for engagement with the walls of an opening 91 in said hand piece, is for frictionally securing the hand piece to the screw member so that said screw memher will be rotated in response to. rotation of said hand P1666.

A radially extending projection 92 upon the annular disc 84 is for engagement with a stop bar 93, Figs. 1, and 2, suitably and conveniently supported upon the base 22 of the steady rest. The stop bar is slidably mounted in a bracket 94 on said base 22. The construction and arrangement are such that said stop bar can be moved clear of the projection 92, thus to permit free rotation of the hand piece 82 and the annular disc 84, together with the screw member 46 as a unit.

The second finger containing unit 24 includes a structure 95, Figs. 3, 5, 8 and 9, situated and snugly slidable between the spaced vertical walls 37, 37 of the base 22 of the steady rest. The structure 95 includes a vertical key 96' slidable in a vertical slot 97' in one of, the vertical walls 37, and mechanism, indicated generally at 98, is included for securing said, structure to said base at any elevation to which the structure may be adjusted. Stated differently, the structure 95 is vertically adjustable relative to the base 22, toward and away from the shaft 18, and means is included for retaining said structure at any desired elevation.

A hollowed out element 99 is rigidly secured within the structure 95, and a head secured to the hollowed out element 99 by screw bolts 100 is represented 101.

The hollowed out element 99 provides a pair of horizontal cylinders 1.02, Figs. 3, and 5, which are in a single plane and, in parallel relation to each other and extend parallelly of the screw member 46. A hollow piston in each horizontal cylinder 102 is designated 103, and a rack secured to each hollow piston is designated 104. Each rack 104 has one end thereof pivotally secured, as at 105, to an end of. the corresponding piston 103 spaced from or opposite the head 101. Tension coil springs 106, similar to the tension coil springs 59 disclosed in Fig. 7, each having one end secured to said head 101 and the other end secured to the corresponding hollow piston, normally retain the hollow pistons 103 in engaged relation with the head 101. Air under pressure is applied to an interior space of each hollow piston 103 in a manner to be made plain to cause said hollow pistons to be moved away from said head 101, against resilient force of the tension coil springs 106.

A horizontal shaft 107, Figs. 3 and 9, disposed transversely of the structure 95 and mounted in side walls thereof, rotatably supports a pair of spaced gears, each denoted 108, situated in a part of said structure 95 adjacent the horizontal,v cylinders 102, at the side of said horizontal cylinders which is adjacent the shaft 18. Teeth of the gears 108 are vertically alined with and engaged by teeth of the rack 104.

The horizontal shaft 107 rotatably supports third and fourth sets of camming elements, indicated 109 and 110, respectively, which are transversely spaced from each other. Each of the camming elements 109, 110 is rigid with a gear 108, and the gears are between the camming elements of each set.

An end of the horizontal arm of each of a pair of transversely spaced, L-shaped actuator levers, denoted 111 and 112, respectively, Figs. 3, 5,8 and 9, is pivotally mounted, as at 113, upon the structure 95 for swinging movement of the L-shaped actuator levers in a vertical plane, and each L-shaped actuator lever is fixed against movement transversely of the structure 95.

Each of levers 1'14, Figs. 3 and 8, has an intermediate portion thereof,rotatably-mounted, as, at 115, uponthe structure 95 at a location between the horizontal shaft 107 and the shaft 18 and below the elevation of the pivotal support 113. An extension 116 upon an arm of the lever 114 is engaged against the perimeter of a corresponding set of camming elements, 109 or 110, as the case may be.

The lower end of a vertical arm of each of the L- shape levers 111, 112 includes a socket 117, and a ball 118 upon an arm of each lever- 114 at the side of the pivot pin 115 opposite the extension 116 is situated in the socket 117 of the corresponding actuator lever.

Third and fourth, transversely spaced fingers, indicated 119 and 120, respectively, Figs. 3, 5 and 8, removably secured to apices of the L-shape actuator levers 111 and 112, respectively, as by small screw bolts 121, are disposed in vertical alinement with the vertical arms of said L-shape actuator levers and situated in the vertical plane of the shaft 18 to become engaged therewith. A guard plate between the third and fourth sets of camming elements 109, 110 and the vertical arms of the L-shape actuator levers 111 and 112 is indicated 122.

The camming elements 66, 67 and the gears 64 are mounted on the shaft 63 for rocking movement, as well as for movement of rotation. Likewise, the camming elements 109, 110 and the gears 108 are mounted on the shaft 107 for rocking movement, as well as for movement of rotation. See Fig. 9.

An incoming pipe for delivery of fluid under pressure to the hollow pistons 56 and 103, Fig. 3, is denoted 123. The incoming pipe 123 leads to a passageway 124 in the base 22 of the steady rest, and said passageway 124 leads through a flexible hose 125, Fig. 6, to concavities 126 in the head 42 contiguous with the interior spaces 62 of the hollow pistons 56. Also, the passageway 124 leads through a pipe connection 127, Fig. 3, to concavities 128 in the head 101 contiguous with the interior spaces of the hollow pistons 103. The passageway 124 is controlled by a manually actuable valve 129, Figs. 3 and 10. The construction and arrangement will be such that when the valve 129 is situated as in Figs. and 11, the incoming pipe 123 will be shut 011 from the interior spaces of the hollow pistons 56 and 103 and said interior spaces will be open to atmosphere, and when said valve 129 is situated as in Fig. 12, said incoming pipe 123 will be open to the interior spaces of said hollow pistons and said interior spaces will be shut otf from atmosphere.

The first and second finger containing units 23 and 24 can be adjusted from and toward a shaft, such as 18, or other cylindrical member to be operated upon, in a manner which will be obvious. Evidently, said first and second finger containing units will be initially set at distance from a cylindrical member to be ground predetermined by the overall diameter of said cylindrical member.

Fluid under pressure will be applied to the internal spaces 62 of the hollow pistons 56 at all times while the grinding wheel 19 is operative, and the fingers 71 and 72 will be retained against a cylindrical member being ground by reason of application of fluid pressure to said internal spaces 62. The racks 57 will be advanced under the force of fluid pressure applied to the hollow pistons 56 thus to cause the gears 64, together with the first and second sets of camming elements as a unit, to be rotated, and rotation of said first and second sets of camming elements will cause them to advance the actuator plates 68 and 69 so that the fingers 71 and 72 are urged against the cylindrical member, such as 18, being operated upon. The construction and arrangement will be such that backward force exerted upon the actuator plates 68 and 69 will be applied to the peripheries of the camming elements 66 and 67 in direction substantially radially of the transverse shaft 63 thus to have no tendency toward rotating said camming elements. Upon release of fluid under pressure from the hollow pistons 56 the tension coil springs 59 will act to move the racks 57 in reverse direction, and said racks will in turn rotate 119 and 120 against the cylindrical member.

the camming elements in reverse direction, in counterclockwise direction in Fig. 3, to cause said camming elements to release the actuator plates 68 and 69. Forward movement of the fingers 71 and 72 will of course be arrested when the stops 76 engage the limit surfaces 75.

v The fingers 71 and 72 constantly are urged against a cylindrical member being ground under force of fluid pressure in the hollow pistons 56. The force of fluid employed desirably may have value considerably less than an amount representing the force with which the grinding wheel 19 is urged against the work.

The employment of a pair of fingers, such as 71 and 72, makes possible the functioning of at least one of the fingers at maximum efiiciency at all times while the grinding wheel 19 is relatively moving along the shaft 18 and causing its diameter to be reduced. Supposing that but a single finger were employed, upon release of the finger by reason of grinding down the portion of the work against which said finger is (or was) engaged, pressure exerted by the grinding wheel, greater than the fluid pressure, would be quite liable to cause the work to be deflected before fluid pressure could cause the finger to be advanced against the work. Stated differently, with grinding away of a portion of a cylindrical member alined with a single finger, such as 71 or 72, relatively great pressure exerted by a grinding wheel would cause the cylindrical member to be deflected into engaged relation with the finger before comparatively small fluid exerted pressure could cause said finger to be advanced against the work. In an instance when a cylindrical member while straight is engaged by a finger such as 71 or 72, the finger will maintain said cylindrical member in its straight condition, but in an instance when a cylindrical member was deflected to engage a finger such as '71 or 72, the relatively small fluid exerted pressure force would be incapable of causing the cylindrical member to be straightened. The finger 71 will be operative to maintain the cylindrical member in straight condition when the grinding wheel reduces its diameter at the location of the finger 72, and said finger 72 will be operative to maintain said cylindrical member in straight condition when said grinding wheel reduces its diameter at the location of said finger 71.

Fluid under pressure also will be applied to the internal spaces of the hollow pistons 103 at all times while the grinding wheel 19 is operative, and the fingers 119 and 120 will be firmly retained against a cylindrical member being operated upon by reason of application of fluid pressure to said hollow pistons 103. The racks 104 will be advanced under the force of fluid pressure applied to the hollow pistons 103 thus to cause the gears 108, together with the third and fourth sets of camming elements as a unit, to be rotated, and rotation of said third and fourth sets of camming elements will cause the levers 114 to be rocked and the L-shape actuator levers 111 and 112 to be swung upwardly to urge the fingers The construction and arrangement will be such that backward rotative force exerted upon the levers 114- will be applied to the peripheries of the camming elements 109 and substantially radially of the transverse shaft 107 thus to exert no force upon said camming elements tending to rotate them. Upon reiease of fluid under pressure from the hollow pistons 103 the tension coil springs 106 will act to move the racks 104 in reverse direction, and said racks will rotate the camming elements 109 and 110 in reverse direction to cause them to release the levers 11 and, hence, the L-shape actuator levers 111 and 112.

The fingers 119 and 120 constantly are urged against a cylindrical member being ground under force of fluid pressure in the hollow pistons 103, with practically the same net results as hereinbefore set forth in connection with the fingers 71 and 72.

What is claimed is:

1. A steady rest for precluding deflection of a cylindricalmember being-.actedzupon by a working element operative, upon saidscylindrical member; atia first side thereof to progressively reduce its diameter while exerting a force against and transversely of the cylindrical member, comprising aframe, cooperatively operativetfirst and second. devicesupon said frame in adjacent, parallel relation to each other for engaging first and second longitudinally spaced surfaces of said cylindrical member in adjacent relation. to each. other at a second side of the cylindrical member opposite said first side, and first and second means independently operable upon said first and second devices, respectively, for progressively urging the first and second: devices. to be moved against said, first and second longitudinally spaced surfaces, respectively, with. reduction of the diameter of said cylindrical mem: her under pressure less. than the force exerted by the working element and precluding retraction of said first and second devices by reason of said force, said first and second means being operative to preclude retraction of said first and: second devices, respectively, when engagecl against said first and secondv longitudinally spaced surfaces, respectively, of the cylindrical member at locations which are of relatively great diameter while said working element is operative upon said second and first longitudinally spaced surfaces, respectively, of the cylindrical member at locations which are of comparatively smaller diameter.

2. A steady rest for precluding deflection of a cylindrical member being acted upon by a working element operative upon said cylindrical member at a first side thereof to progressively reduce its diameter While exerting a force against and transversely of the cylindrical member, comprising a frame, a unit mounted upon said frame in spaced, fixed relation to said cylindrical member, cooperatively operative first and second devices upon said unit in adjacent, parallel relation to each other, for engaging first and second longitudinally spaced surfaces of said cylindrical members in adjacent relation to each other at a second side of the cylindrical member opposite said first side, and first and second means independently operable upon said first and second devices, respectively, for progressively urging the first and second devices to be moved against said first and second longitudinally spaced surfaces, respectively, with reduction of the diameter of said cylindrical member under pressure less than the force exerted by the working element and precluding retraction of said first and second devices by reason of said force, said first and second means'being operative to preclude retraction of said first and second devices, respectively, when engaged against said first and second longitudinally spaced 5 for; adjusting: said, unit together with said first and, second devices: towardaand away from said cylindrical member.

4. The. combination, as, specified in claim 1 wherein eachof said first and, second means isfiuid pressure actuated.

5. A steady rest for precluding deflection of a cylindrical member being acted upon by a working element operative upon said cylindrical; member, at a first side thereof to. progressively, reduce itsv diameter while exerting a force against and transversely of the cylindrical member, comprising a frame, cooperatively operative first and second devices upon saidfrarne in adjacent, parallel relation toeach other. for engaging first and second longitudinally spaced surfaces of said, cylindrical member in adjacent relation; to each othen at a second side of the cylindrical member opposite said first side, first and second camming elements rotatably mounted on said frame, first and second actuator elements upon said framebetweentperipheral, surfaces of said camrning elements and said first; and second devices, respectively, and first and second means actuable independently of each other by fluid under pressure to rotate said first and second camming elements with reduction in diameter of the cylindrical member to cause force, to be applied against said firstandsecondactuator elements in direction substantially radially of axes for the camming elements and said first and second devices to be pressingly engaged against said first and second longitudinally spaced surfaces, said first and secondmeans being operative to, situate said camming elements to preclude retraction of said first and second devices, respectively, when engaged against said fir nd cco d' on tu inal it p e ur a respectively, of the cylindrical member at locations which are of relatively great diameter while said, working element is operative upon said second; and; first longitudinally spaced surface pe t e y, 05 aid cy ind cal m r at catious which are of comparatively smaller diameter.

6. The combination as specified in claim 5 wherein each of said firstand second means is constituted as a gear rigid with a corresponding one of said camming elements, a rack meshing with said gear, and an actuator for moving said raclelongitudinally to rotate said gear.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 372,537 Hoyt Nov. 1, 1887 638,610 Thornton Dec. 5, 1889 1,612,366 Fahrney Dec. 28, 1926 2,141,596 Crompton Dec. 27, 1938 2,224,708 Sittert Dec. 10, 1940 2,286,620 Hollengreen June 16, 1942 2,419,170 Silven Apr. 15, 1947 2,655,828 Hazen Oct. 20, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 17,535 Great Britain July 31, 1913 458,703 Italy H. Mar, 13, 1944 

